Steam-engine



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J D DAVIES Steam-Engine.

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Y ILPEFERS. PHOTO-LUNOGRAFHER. WASHINGTN. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH n. DAVIEs-OE oovINe'rON, KENTUCKY.-

STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No.v 225,351, i iApplication filed December 1B, 1875i.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osEPH D. DAvIEs, of

` tion ofthe invention', such as will enable others skilled in the` artto which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon,which form a Apart of this specification.

My`invention relates to an mimprovement in steam-engines andotherlmotors.

The object of the invention is to cause the piston of a steam-engine orother motor to transmit a constant and equable force throughout everyportion of its stroke, and prevent any undue strains on the differentparts of the' engine when operated expansively, and to regulate thepower to compensate for the variable resistance offered by the mechanismto be actuated.

To this end my invention consists, essentially, in the combination, withthe piston-rod of a steam-engine or other motor, of one or moreauxiliary engines or power-actuated piston-rods connected directly orindirectly with the piston-rod of the steam-engine or motor in such amanner that the auxiliary pistonrods will offer a variable resistance tothe main piston-rod throughout the first half of its stroke, and willimpart a variable assistance to the main piston-rod throughout the lasthalf of its stroke, and thus cause the engine or motor to transmit aconstant and equable force throughout every portion of its stroke.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view, in perspective, of adirect-acting engine provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a planview, showing the relative position of the parts when the steam-pistonis at the commencement of its stro1 e, Fig. 3 is a similar view,representing the position of parts when the steam-piston has completedone-half its stroke 5 and Fig. 4, a similar view, showing the relativeposition of parts when the piston has completed its stroke. Figs. 5 and6 are detached views of valve mechanism, and Fig.

dated March 9, 1880.I

7 a view showing theY attachment applied to a steam-engine.

A represents the frame, B the steam-cylinder, and G the pump-cylinder,of a direct-acting steam-pump, which parts may be of any approvedconstruction, my invention being adapted for application to any ordinarydirectcting steam-pump, steam-engine, air-pump,

Dis the piston-rod, to the center of which is secured a cross-head, E.At opposite sides of the piston-rod D are located the auxiliary orequalizing cylinders F F', each of which is provided with trunuions etct', which are yjournaled, respectively, in the lateral bracket G of theengine-frame and cross-bar or frame G', the latter being supported onthe uprights or pillars H H. Y

The pistou-rods I L of the oscillating cylinders F F are provided witheyes on their outer ends, through which are inserted the bolts L L,which extend through the opposite ends'of the cross-head E, thuspivoting the pistons to the cross-heads.

rlhe oscillating cylinders F F are, in fact, single-acting oscillatingengines, steam, compressed air, or liquid being' admitted through thetrunnions, in any suitable manner, to the rear portions of the cylindersto exert a constant outward pressure on the pistons within saidcylinders. When the main piston is at thc commencement of its stroke, asillustrated in Fig. 2, the auxiliary or equalizing engines or cylinderswill offer the maximum resistance to the outward movement of the mainpiston, as, of course, the main and auxiliary pistonrods are locatedmore nearly in parallelism at the opposite ends of their stroke than atany other part of the stroke ofthe engine. As the main piston-rod movesoutward the equalizer is gradually turned on its trunnions, and itsresistance to the main piston gradually diminishes until the main andauxiliary piston-rods are at right angles to each other, as representedin Fig. 3, at which point the equalizers or auxiliary cylinders willhave no effect on the action of the engine. When the center of the mainpiston-rod passes the first half of its stroke theequalizers orauxiliary cylinders begin to act and assist the movement of the main IOOtion of the stroke.

engine, as the power of the main steam-cylinder is then re-enforced bythe power exerted upon the pistons in the auxiliary cylinders, and thepower of the latter constan tly increases as the cylinders are swungaround and their piston-rods approximate more closely a line of movementin parallelism to that of main piston-rod. The angles of the auxiliarypistonrods are constantly changing from the commencement to the endofthe stroke of the engine or other motor to which the equalizer-s areattached, and hence the relative amount of resistance offered andassistance afforded by the equalizers varies throughout every por- Theforce of the equalizers may be varied throughout the different portionsof the stroke of the engine or motor by a cut-off applied to lany partof the supplypipc, or by varying the cut-off or pressure on the mainpiston of the engine or motor, or by 4 varying the pressure on thepistons of the I I No,

equalizers during` the different parts of the stroke of the mainpiston-rod, or by varying the proportions of the stroke of theequalizers to that of the stroke of the main piston-rod, or by changingits position during the stroke to vary the pressure, as desired.

Different forms of valve mechanism and gearing may be connected with theequalizers, and hence I do not restrict myself to any particularconstruction or arrangementv of valve mechanism.

The trunnions may be bored out to form steam -passages therein, andsteam supply pipes be connected therewith, said pipes being providedwith ordinary throttle-valves to cut off or regulate the supply of steamas may be desired.

The equalizing-cylinders may each be provided with a steam-passage, M,leading from the trunnion to the rear end of the cylinder, as shown inFig. 6, and within said steampassage may be placed a puppet-valve, N,having a stem, N', pivoted to an arm, O, which is pivoted at one end toa post, I?, attached to the cylinder. l

The free end'of the arm is supported upon a stationary bearing, Q, theparts being so arranged that the valve will be automatically opened andclosed by the movement ofthe cylinder.

I may-employ. rotary or slide valves in connection with the trunnions;but as it isevident that many changes may be resorted to as regards theconstruction and arrangement o't' valve mechanism, I have thus far onlypointed out the application of my invention to direct-acting engines;but it is obvious that it is equally applicable to beam-engines, bothdouble and single acting; and in pumpingengines the equalizers may beattached to beam, as shown in Fig. 7or to the piston or pump rod, or anyreciprocating or vibrating part of the engine havingl a movementsimultaneous with that of the piston.

In single-acting engines, or engines having a greater load in onedirection, the equalizers may be placed nearer one end of the stroke,thus offering greater resistance in one direction and giving moreassistance in the other than when located midway the stroke.

It will be observed that if the supply-pipe to the equalizer beconnected to the valve-chest of the motor it will always insure apressure on the equalizer equal to that in the motor.

I would have it understood that I do not restrict myself to theemployment of any particular form ot' valve mechanism in connection withthe equalizers.

In some cases the principle of my invention can be employed to advantageand secure an even and uniform stroke to small engines by employingspiral or volute springs in lieu of the auxiliary steam-cylinders. Insuch case the springs would be seated against a xed head, and thepiston-rod attached to a disk resting against the free end of thespring,the disk being held in place by means of guiderods passing throughopenings in the iixed head.

My invention is adapted to be applied to many different uses, and henceI do not restrict the improvement to any particular purposes or uses. I

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the piston-rod of a steam-engine or othermotor, of one or more auxiliary engines or power-actuated pistonrodsconnected with the piston -rod of the steam engine or motor, andarranged and adapted to impart avariable resisting and assisting forceto said piston-rod throughout different portions of its stroke,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the piston-rod of a steam-engine or othermotor, of one or more auxiliary oscillating engines the piston-rods ofwhich are connected with the main pistonrod, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a steam-engine or other motor, of one or moreauxiliary engines connected with the main steam engine or motor in sucha manner that said auxiliary engines shall offer a constant] y-decreasing resistance to the main piston-rod through the rst half of its strokeand a constantly-increasing assistance throughout the remaining half ofits stroke, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing' I have hereunto set my handthis 9th day of December, 1879.

JOSEPH DANKs DAvIEs.

Witnesses OHAs. J. HELM, SAMUEL BIGSTAFF.

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